Lyell’s Antiquity of man lacks originality.

Statements in Lyell provoke CD to determine exact publication date of Origin and JDH’s introductory essay [to Flora Tasmaniae].

CD now believes in repeated periods of global cooling and migration.

CD’s opinion of Lyell’s Antiquity of man.

Geographical distribution during and between glacial periods.

Latent characters and reversion.

Evidence of tropical floras continuous since Tertiary cannot fit CD’s position on intermittent cold periods.

Agrees with CD on reversion and latency.

CD regrets he used "creation" in Origin when he meant "appeared".

An Oken-like article in "Owenian style" in Athenæum.

Tropical plants continue to be troublesome.

Owen is the author of the Athenæum article [28 Mar 1863, pp. 417–19]. JDH dismisses it as vulgar rubbish. W. B. Carpenter intends to write a reply.

Likes JDH’s review of Alphonse de Candolle [Mémoires et souvenirs de A. P. de Candolle (1862)].

Falconer’s article on Lyell ["Primitive man. What led to the question?", Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] too severe.

CD has written a letter to the Athenæum "to say, under the cloak of attacking Heterogeny, a word in my own defence" [Collected papers 2: 78–80].

Bates’s Travels [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)] are excellent.

Attacks by Falconer [Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] and Joseph Prestwich on Lyell.

W. B. Carpenter fails to attack Owen.

Welwitschia male cones with useless ovules marvellous example of lost function and retained structure.

JDH evaluates his sons.

Grieved by Falconer’s and Prestwich’s treatment of Lyell.

Reproductive anatomy of the common ash reminds CD of JDH’s Welwitschia because of its transitional forms.

Pleased JDH encourages Oliver to do orchids.

JDH has lost a letter from Julius von Haast intended for CD.

Encloses his notions [missing] on John Scott’s offer; some points in explanation.

Falconer going to France in defence of his views.

On scientific squabbling.

Herschel’s theory of the earth.

Bates’s book.

Lists the six honest believers in his species theory in England.

Asa Gray complains that Lyell acts like a judge on species, whereas CD complains of Lyell’s indecision.

CD working on divergence of leaves.

Distribution of Cameroon plants and the glacial theory.

Survival of island relics.

JDH encourages a Mr Salwyn [Osbert Salvin] to collect in Galapagos; would like CD to add his encouragement.

Lyell is "half-hearted but whole-headed" for CD’s theory. George Bentham wholly converted.

Bates’s book delightful but has a Darwinistic bias.

Cameroon plants.

JDH defends Bates against J. E. Gray’s slanders.

The Lyell–Falconer squabble.

Discusses island vs continental floras and their degree of modification.

Critical of Wallace.

CD’s observations on phyllotaxy.

Flora of Cameroons shakes JDH’s faith in ability to explain past or present migrations. Sees need for a major novel explanation such as natural selection, glacial cold, or continental connections.

Lyell in a bad way about feud with Falconer.

JDH’s opinion of Wallace, Bates, J. E. Gray, Owen, Asa Gray, Lubbock, and Bentham.

Bentham’s Linnean Society address [see 4118].

Seeks advice for John Scott on job offer in India.

CD’s encouragement of John Scott, who has found a case of self-incompatibility in orchids, like William Herbert’s in Crinum.

Nägeli on phyllotaxy.

CD’s observations on broom fertilisation.

Sends Asa Gray letter to JDH. Gray’s "Coolness about England and U. S. beats anything".

John Scott’s difficulties at Edinburgh Botanic Garden.

JS’s paper on Primula crossing experiments.

Sends MS note about closing of stigma in orchids being dependent on affinity of pollen and independent of protusion of pollen-tubes.

JDH lays hard treatment of John Scott to J. H. Balfour’s anti-Darwinism.